Longicornsin

The hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis is a blood-sucking ectoparasite native to eastern Asia, and an invasive tick species in several countries including the United States. This tick is a vector of various pathogens that are of significant veterinary and public health concern. Over the past few years, researchers have evaluated various control strategies with regard to synthetic acaricides, plant essential oils, entomopathogenic fungi, and vaccines for H. longicornis control. This review presents and discusses the various control strategies and the possible mechanisms by which they act. We also discuss challenges and recommendations for future research, with a view of providing important clues for designing an effective and environmentally acceptable control strategy for H. longicornis, which is one of the possible means of reducing tick-borne diseases and exsanguination associated with their infestation.

Ticks can transmit pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, and viruses to humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the microbiomes of Haemaphysalis longicornis according to sex and life stages. The Shannon index was significantly higher for nymphs than adult ticks. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the microbiome composition of female adult and male adult ticks were different. Notably, Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519), known as a tick symbiont, was found in all nymphs and female adult ticks, but only one out of 4 male adult ticks had Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519). In addition, Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Anaplasma bovis were detected in this study.